Hoist the colours high
by Coldheart91
Summary: Pirate Matthew Williams, captain of The Invisible Pirates, fell in love with Astrid, a ginger girl he'd met only once so far. Will there be a chance for his love to be returned? Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya; Astrid belongs to SailorSun1998 from deviantArt ((Gosh, I'm sorry for this summary... . Please, give it a chance anyways.))
1. Prologue

**_The Invisible Pirates_**

_At this time of mankind, everyone knew and feared pirates. A bunch of outlaws causing trouble wherever they appeared._

_But not a single crew was as feared as The Invisible Pirates._

_They only attacked at night, in complete silence, never leaving witnesses though not killing more people than truely necessary._

_There was hardly any knowledge of the crew's members, some rumours about their looks and names of course, wanted ones who haven't been seen in years._

_Their ship was unrecognizable, it was said it was a haunted one._

_Yet the biggest mystery was their captain. No watching eye ever saw him, no listening ear ever heard his name, no living soul could tell if he even existed._

_..._

_The Captain himself was very proud of his crew. Though they were outlaws, he made sure they wouldn't appear as such._

_Depending on the next port they went to he chose the colours they hoist. And they never berthed where one of the crew was known as an outlaw._

_Most of them came from the Carribean, so they were safe here up north._

_And the treasures they stole proved the Captains strategy. Not a single member of his crew ever doubted his decision._

_They were not just living in complete freedom, they were living without fear._

No one knew about them more than rumours.

No one? We shall see...


	2. Chapter 1

Yet another succesful robbery~

Captain Wiliams' crew was just clearing the ship when he decided to get himself a drink in the towns bar, accompanied by his first mate.

"It's been a while since we... 'visited' this town, captain."

Matthew gave an evil grin. "Ay, my friend. Gave them enough time to get all the treasures that are now ours."

They hadn't been to this place for several years, but that wasn't unusal. Though they were of the best pirates of the seven seas,

there was allways the possibility they left a witness behind.

But the true reason he chose this place for this nights robbery was a certain girl he couldn't forget about. The last time, he saw her at the bar they were headed now.

Smirking he thought 'I wonder if she's still working there?'

"There it is, Captain. My, they really kept that place toghether." This made the captain chuckling pretty dark, and they entered the bar.

"Hmm? Can I help you?" Astrid turned around and faced the pirate's captain.

Yes, a beer for me and my first mate please." They sat down at a table and waited for her to return with their order.

"What a nice young lady." The mate chuckled. "Ay~" With a smirk, Captain Williams watched her the entire time, earning a raised eyebrow from his mate.

He didn't care. Of course, he trusted him like nobody else, but this girl was non of his problems... yet.

"Captain, I can see your mind running." The mate whispered. "Are you sure?"

Still smirking, the captain sighed. "Very sure. But we need more information first." He gave his mate a look to reassure said one he would not endanger the crew.

"Information? Let me help you. I hear things no one else does."

Captain Williams hadn't expect her to hear what he was talking about with his mate but he was used to situations like this. With a gentle smile, he turned to her.

"Yes, we were told the husband of a beautiful woman with flowing red hair is trading salt for very fair prizes. Is your husband said man?"

"You must be confused. I don't have a husband, never have." She blushed slightly.

He chuckled slightly. "What a waste~," He took a nip of his beer, giving his mate a certain look.

"Then our sources might mean someone related to you, fine lady?" The mate asked with a voice like honey. "Please forgive our discourtesy but, flowing red hair ain't found everywhere around the seven seas~."

"I haven't got any living relatives."

They looked at each other, then at her. "We are very sorry to hear that, my lady." The Captain replied. "Please, may we invite you for a drink? To make up for our discourtesy~?"

He gave his the sweetest smile, making him appear like no threat. And the mate, too, smiled at her, encouraging her to take said offer.

"...Sure."

Matthew offered her a seat, and the mate waved for an other waiter.

When she took the seat, he spoke again. "My apologies, we never introduced ourselves. I'm Captain Williams, and this is my first mate, Mr Smith."

"My lady~."

"What would the ladies lovely name be~?"

"Astrid."

"What a beautiful name~."

The waiter arrived at their table, taking the empty glasses of the two men, who just ordered another beer.

"And for the lady?"

"Maple tea."

"Coming~." The waiter got off to get the drinks.

"The lady's got a fine taste, huh, Captain?" Smith grinned, teasing his captain a little.

"Ay, few people know about this tea." Matthew slightly smirked. "It's rather expensive in times like this, considering all the pirates out there disseizing all the merchants."

"You are a pirate, oui? Maybe you could stop robbing innocent people of all their belongings," She said, taking a leap of faith.

Again, the two man looked at each other and started to laugh cheerfully.

When the waiter got back with their drinks, he just silently set them down the table to not disturb them and went off.

"Mais non, mademoiselle~." Matthew said once he could breathe again. "What makes you think we're pirates~? Cheers~." He clinked glasses with his mate before taking a mouthful.

"Because you're the elusive Invisible Pirates of the atlantic coast. You sneak in during the dead of night and rob people blind before they even know what happened."

They where speechless for a moment, never before did someone know who they where. How could she?

Soon, Matthew regained his confidence. "Mon Dieu, how could you think of us to be them? We are just merchants~. Yes, some compare us to pirates when we have to rise the prices but, The Invisible Pirates?" He said, using his own honey-like voice. Reassured through his captian's speech, Smith was able to hide his insecurity about the situation as well and nodded.

"I told you, I hear things no one else does."

"You better check your sources again then~" He gave his mate a sign to leave, stood up and gave her the money for their drinks. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Astrid." He bowed and blew a kiss on her hand before leaving, followed by Smith.

On their way back to the ship, the mate noticed a certain smirk on his captain's face.

"Captain?.."

"We have almost all the information we need. Hurry, get to the ship, tell Kaoru and Kiku to observe her until she gets home. Once we know that, she will be mine." He chuckled darkly.

Smith smirked, "Ay, my captain.", and ran off to the ship. He was right, she was the perfect target. No husband, no family at all, and there was this special something about her. The captain was surely right to send his two best spies.

Meanwhile, said captain was in no hurry. He even stopped to watch the moon disappearing behind some dark clouds.

"Soon..."


	3. Chapter 2

"Like, why are we spying on her again?" Bored, because their target didn't come out of the bar so far, Kaoru tried to start a conversation.

"We are not to question this. It's our duty to obey the captain. Now stick to the shadows." The other Asian whispering replied, knowing they had to be more than careful according to Smith.

"Yeah..." Used to Kiku's behaviour, he now stayed silent as well, watching the bar's front door.

Finally, Astrid's shift was over. She left the bar and started walking home. "See ya next week, Arthur!"

Kaoru smirked slightly. "Was about time."

"Hai."

Making sure to be as invisible as possible, they followed their target to her home.

Astrid sighed, shutting the door behind her after she reached her house. "Well, I'm going to bed."

"What now?"

"Orders are to observe. To find out where she lives."

"I, like, know that?!"

Kaoru gave him a bored look. "I mean, what shall we do now we know her place?"

"You are going to stay here." Kiku silently stood up, fixing the Katana he always had with him on his back. "And I am going to report to the captain."

"..." Knowing Kiku was still faster than him when it came to get through a town unseen, Kaoru simply turned his head and watched Astrid's house again. The next moment, Kiku was gone.

From his place, Kaoru had a great view through the bedroom's window. Seeing what he did, he had to remind him several times to stick to the shadows.

"...Captain's got a fine taste... !"

A sudden noise out of the dark distracted him, turning his head he was relieved it was only Kiku, who had come back along with...

"...Smith? Of all members of the crew, he might be the only one who stands out more than us, Kiku." Kiku gave him a death glare, talking like that about the first mate. "Watch your tongue!"

Smith simply chuckled. "Now, where is it?"

"Over there, she just went to bed but there's still some light in her room though..."

Their target finally turned out the lights, going to sleep.

Kaoru smirked. Now, it was his turn. Yes, he was an excellent spy but, this was not his specialty.

It was...

"...chemicals?" He turned his head to Smith. "Huh?"

"You got your chemicals?"

He gave the first mate a triumphant smile. "Of course~" He was about to enter the house, when Kiku unnecessaryly reminded him "She's just to be unconscious, not to be dead."

"I know, pff..."

Who was he to remind him? This was HIS specialty. In his old crew, he mainly used his knowledge for bombs, sometimes torture, but, both wasn't needed within Captain Williams crew so far. Yet, he loved to be able to show it's more than bombs and torture chemicals could be used for.

In complete silence, he entered her room. 'What a beauty...' he thought, approaching her. He had to wait a little though for her to turn around before he could let fall some drops of the poison into her mouth, just enough to make her sleep so deep, cannons would not have waken her up. When he was sure, he turned to the window, giving the sign to his companions.

The two of them entered as well.

"What's next, Smith?"

"Gather some clothes and a bag, make it appear as if she just went away on her own."

"Okay~"

"Hai."

The Asians did as ordered, when they were finished, Smith carefully took Astrid out of the bed, looking at Kaoru. He understood and made the bed. Due to their Captain, they knew the importance of details.

They left her house and, like shadows, disappeared into the night.

However, there was a detail they forgot.

They forgot because they didn't know of its existence.

There was only one person besides Astrid who knew about it...


	4. Chapter 3

"Astrid?" He knocked on the door, entering when no one answered since it wasn't locked. "Astrid, it's me, Arthur. I found the ring of yours, the one your father gave you, remember? ...Astrid?"

The Brit began to worry, it wasn't like her not to answer when called. After looking through all the rooms, he finally knocked on her bedroom's door. "Astrid..?"

But she wasn't there. The look of everything was perfectly peaceful. Just like she was on a planned vacation. Though that couldn't be, not without...

"...the ring" Arthur said to himself, looking at the little piece of metal in his hand. "She wouldn't go anywhere without it, it's the last memory of her family..." He closed his hand around the ring and searched the house once more, but nothing seemed out of place, just like an average home, abandoned for some holidays.

"Not them, this can't be..."

Arthur Kirkland, the Brit running the town's pub, had a bad feeling in his gut.

A _very_ bad one.

"...you've been breaking the rules, Matt. Never go twice to the same place. Especially not this one." He sighed. He couldn't let her be with _him_. Not until he knew his motifs.

"You had always been such a good apprentice, Matty. Why else would I have left my old crew to you?"

Seemed like he had to face his past.

Arthur ran to his little cabin, packed what he needed and made his way to the port. He laughed bitterly to himself when he entered his boat., but he couldn't help it. He'd sworn her parents to have an eye on her. He'd sworn to himself that he'd keepher out of serious trouble, which was hard enough. He wouldn't let any guy near her without him close, which was why she worked at his bar.

And he _definitly_ wouldn't let a bloody pirate lay his hands on her.

_The chase is on, Matthew Williams._


End file.
